Since its launch in 2006, Hoops Haven has become a staple of the New Jersey basketball community. This is the place to find breaking news, analysis and links about college and high school basketball in the Garden State.

Menu

The New Jersey Sports Writers Association will be honoring Seton Hall women’s coach Anne Donovan, local basketball legend Eric Murdock and former Rutgers hoops standout/current CBA coach Geoff Billet at the organization’s 75th annual banquet Sunday, Jan. 30 at the Pines Manor in Edison. Donovan is receiving the Woman of the Year award, while Murdock and Billet are being inducted into the NJSWA Hall of Fame.

—Leonard Marshall, former N.Y. Giant great and current Hudson Catholic football coach

—Billy Austin, Scotch Plains native and former Rutgers football All-American

—Fred Hill, longtime Rutgers baseball coach

—Steve Somers, WFAN talk-show host

More details on the guest speaker lineup to come in the next couple of weeks, but here is the website with ticket information: http://www.njsportswriters.org/

TODAY’S 3-POINTER

1. Rick Pitino set a poor example when he bolted from the interview room after just two questions following Louisville’s loss to Drexel Tuesday. It’s not like he was getting grilled either. Postgame press conferences are a chance for coaches to address the fan base, and the Cardinals have some of the best fans in the sport, so it’s a shame that he took his ball and went home.

2. The Rock is a first-class facility, but the arrival of the Nets has doomed Seton Hall to third-class tenant status—just like in the old building. For Exhibit A, witness the 7:30 Sunday tip time vs. NJIT. No way the crowd is breaking 2,000 for that. A noon tip the day after Christmas (vs. Richmond) isn’t exactly ideal either, but you have to take what the defense (I mean landlord) gives you.

3. T-minus 48 hours to the start of high school hoops season. The Courier News and Home News Tribune previews will run in Friday’s papers (not Thursday, I was mistaken about that). But Mike New’s outstanding “In the Paint” blog is already posting the team-by-team capsules and breaking down the story lines in the GMC, Skyland and Union County conferences. Check it out: http://blogs.mycentraljersey.com/inthepaint/. Mike will be covering Plainfield at Linden Friday night, while yours truly will be dropping in on Franklin at Hillsborough.

SI.com’s Seth Davis leads his weekly notebook with an analysis of who’s good, who’s bad and who’s ugly when it comes to free-throw shooting. Several Big East squads make his list: Villanova good, Syracuse ugly

In all fairness to Seton Hall and the Nets in the statement that Seton Hall is third class in the Prudential Center. You fail to look at both the Seton Hall Schedule with the Nets.

Three times Seton Hall and the Nets play in the Prudential Center on the same day and only one of those days is Seton Hall playing the night game. If you look on Saturday January 8th and January 22nd Seton Hall has the 12 Noon start with the Nets starting time at 7PM

I guess this falls under the if "ifs and buts were candy and nuts" category but if Seton Hall over the last decade had the won as many games as Duke, Kansas, or even a Villanova, they would get priority over Nets. Games against inept cream puffs like Longwood and NJIT don't help either.

Also, Keon Lawrence is more disappointing than a drunken mall Santa.

Comments are closed.

About the Author

Jerry Carino has covered sports for the Gannett New Jersey newspapers since 1996 and has been on the college basketball beat since 2003. A native of Old Bridge, he also teaches journalism at Kean University.Email Jerry.